Best Larger-Than-Life Portrait

Martha Lou’s makeover/mural

Staff Pick

With its Pepto-pink cinder block exterior, Martha Lou’s has always stood out from its NoMo surroundings — which is nice when we have to give people directions to the City Paper offices, because the restaurant is right across the street. Well, someone crashed their car into the side of the building last year and it spent a few months boarded up, but then in December, we noticed people doing work on the building. After the damage was repaired, local sign painter Charles Desaussure got to work giving the building its signature flair. In fact, he painted a massive portrait of Ms. Martha Lou, which now greets everyone who cruises up Morrison Drive, luring them in for a taste of her famous fried chicken. She’s staring at us right now as we look out our office window, and we can feel the soul food hankerings beginning.